Kroger and Albertsons plan to sell 35 Illinois stores, mainly Mariano's locations, to secure FTC approval for their $24.6bn merger.

Kroger and Albertsons plan to sell 35 Illinois stores, mainly Mariano's locations, in a bid to secure approval for their $24.6bn merger. The divestitures involve selling 31 of Kroger's 44 Mariano's stores and the Mariano's brand name to C&S Wholesale Grocers for $2.9bn. The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit to block the merger, with concerns over higher prices for consumers and lower wages for workers.